Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Just earlier this month I returned home form a trip to Greece! It was a very different trip from most. We didn't see the beautiful islands and the ancient ruins (except for a brief walk near the Acropolis) we were working with refugees (500,000 in Athens alone) and learning about the prevalence of human trafficking through there. Globally, there's an estimated 27,000,000 human slaves today... it's some really eye-opening stuff! If you want more details on that, check out www.thea21campaign.com. It was an awesome trip and we are so glad that we went! Maybe next time we'll hit the islands. :)

Of course, while we were there we ate some AMAZING Greek food. I tried to talk some recipes out of a local but she was pretty tight-lipped about her secrets and said that even if I had the recipe it wouldn't be the same because the ingredients would be different. That's never stopped me from trying! ... but I took the hint. :)

The Greek diet is fairly meat-heavy, but I wanted to create a meatless meal that still captures the classic flavors of Greece in a fresh, healthy way. This isn't an authentic and traditional Greek dish, it's just my vegetarian version of Greece on a plate.

What I really love about this recipe is it's purity and rustic simplicity. Baking the garlic results in a milder taste and a creamy, spreadable texture that would be good on any crusty bread. I decided to slice a small baguette into rounds and toast them up to make little crostinis.

“There are many miracles in the world to be celebrated and, for me, garlic is the most deserving.”
- Leo Buscaglia

To serve, you can either place all the soft garlic into a small bowl, or you can let everyone pick the cloves off and squeeze the garlic out. (Kids would love this - just be sure to have napkins around!) I personally love the beauty of the whole head of garlic on the plate.

Monday, February 28, 2011

We usually have something Mexican-inspired every week at home... but I was getting tired all the same 5 or 6 ingredients all the time, even if they were in a taco salad one week and over nachos the next. This meal is a great way to mix up your Mexican and give it a tropical twist! The salsa is based off one my mom came up with years ago that quickly became one of my favorites. :)

The wheat tortillas do have a slightly different texture than the traditional flour ones do (as whole wheat pasta does) but they are much healthier. :) This can also be made a vegan dish by using vegan sour cream and cheese substitutes. Nacho Mom's has a great vegan queso. :)